Sánchez listens to the industry: €400 million in direct aid for the purchase of electric cars in 2026

Amid accusations of obstructing the legislature, Pedro Sánchez has announced a package of measures to promote electric vehicles. The goal is clear: to eliminate the sale of combustion engine vehicles by 2035. Echoing the demands of the sector, the Spanish Prime Minister has announced a new line of direct aid, with €400 million allocated for the purchase of electric vehicles in 2026. Unlike previous calls for proposals, the central government will directly manage the funds—a practice that has been in place until now. According to Sánchez, the reason for this change is to respond to the "complaints" and "legitimate demands of the sector." "We want to guarantee greater speed and also consistency in the management of the aid, and that the payments reach families when they truly need them," the Prime Minister stated. The rollout of previous programs, such as Moves III, has caused headaches for many users due to the waiting period of around a year and a half between vehicle purchase and receiving the subsidies. Next year's program, called Auto+, will not be the only one seeking to promote electrification. Sánchez also announced another fund (Moves Corredores) of 300 million euros to deploy charging point infrastructure "in so-called shadow zones," meaning roads where they don't yet exist. "We will also reduce the paperwork for licenses," the Spanish president stated. However, Sánchez emphasized the progress made so far in the public charging network, which already includes 40,000 points. Finally, Sánchez made a third announcement: an additional 580 million euros for the PERTE (Special Plan for the Renewable Energy of Electric and Connected Vehicles) by 2026. The Prime Minister made these announcements, totaling €1.28 billion for next year, during the presentation of the broader Auto Plan 2030 (with 25 measures across five key areas), designed for the next five years to boost the automotive and smartwatch industries of the represented manufacturers. The goal for 2035 is for the market share of electrified models in Spain to increase from 12% in 2023 to 95%, and for sales to rise from 10% to 100%. "We are facing a monumental challenge. We have the task of transforming our country's largest industry, which contributes 10% of GDP and generates more than 2 million direct and indirect jobs, in regions where this industry provides employment, a future, and social and territorial cohesion," emphasized Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. There is joy among employers' associations.

This plan, as highlighted by the president of the manufacturers' association Anfac, Josep Maria Recasens, represents a "historic" milestone, since it involves the participation of the entire sector, from public administrations to private entities. "It's not being done against anyone; it's being done with everyone. The future doesn't wait; it's being built together," he asserted. "It's a horizontal, comprehensive plan, developed in close collaboration and dialogue with the private sector because it's a very robust national plan," added Sánchez.

The Catalan government has also welcomed the plan. The Secretary General for Business and Labor, Pol Gibert, participated in the plan's presentation in Madrid and, during a roundtable discussion, explained that Catalonia's automotive sector will establish "the necessary synergies" with the Spanish government's proposal to boost the Electric Vehicle Promotion Plan that the Catalan government approved in February. According to data from ANFAC (the Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers), between January and November of this year, Catalonia registered 123,940 passenger car registrations, a 13.6% year-on-year increase. As for electrified vehicles, the year-to-date figures show an 81.58% increase, reaching 29,957. For Gibert, data like this demonstrates the "positive trend in the penetration of electrified vehicles throughout 2025." Gibert also highlighted some actions the Catalan government has taken in this area, such as an inventory of the 350 vehicle component suppliers located in Catalonia. This inventory allows them to identify which products and the companies that manufacture them may become obsolete or lose their competitive edge.

The plan has three objectives: economic, sustainability, and strategic autonomy, "to begin to reduce our dependence on external factors" and to achieve zero CO₂ emissions by 2035, as currently stipulated by the European Union. "The weight, power, and driving force of the automotive sector in Spain are at stake. This sector represents 10 percent of Spain's GDP, generates investment and quality employment, and that is what we want to protect," Recasens emphasized. "We are in the midst of a transition, and we are aware that we have a great deal at stake in the present and future of this sector," stated the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu.

The Third Vice-President of the Government, Sara Aagesen, has highlighted the more than "2.4 billion euros in aid, not including the Perte VEC program," promoted in the last seven years by the Spanish government through the Moves and Perte VEC Plans, through which these initiatives have been implemented. Aagesen also emphasized the value of the REVE map created a few months ago, which provides "more than 40,000 charging points with dynamic information available to each and every user," with the possibility of finding a charging point every 50 kilometers.